Valve device.



A. A. GRYER.

VALVE DEVIGE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.29, 1904. Y

Patented July 27,

M ATTORNEY ALBERT A. CRYER, or NEW YORK,'N.'Y.

VALVE DEVICE.

Specification of Letterav Patent.

Patented .rulyev, 1909.

Application filed Aim 2a, 1904. Serial No. 205,507.

To alt whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT A. URYER, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of New York city,-in the county and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Valve Devices, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to valve devices adapted for use in connectionwith steam heatin systems and in the combination of such devices withthe other parts of the system.

The invention seeks to rovide an eflicient and reliable device where ythe air and the water of condensation may be automatically removed.

The invention also seeks to accomplish its result by economical meansand by means so arranged as to insure the reliability and effectiveoperation of the device, notwithstanding the collection of dirt,sediment, rust or other foreign matter, such as ordinarily collects inthe conduits of a heating system.

The invention is applicable to a steam heating system or apparatus ofany charac ter such, for example, as one employing ordinary radiators orone employing drying cylinders such as those of a paper-drying machine.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification and inwhich like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in theseveral figures, there is shown the preferred embodiment of theinvention and modification thereof;

Figure 1 of the drawings is an elevation of a radiator forming part ofthe steam. heating system and provided with a valve device. Fig. 2 is acentral vertical elevation of the valve device. Fig. 3 is a plansectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an elevation partlyinsection showing a modification of the valve.'

Referring now more particularly to the specific construction as shown inthe drawings:The radiator has a supply pipe 1 and a return pipe 2.

3 is a valve device connected with the radiator and the return pipe.

4 is an exhauster which may be of any suitable construction and designedto maintain a lower pressure in the return pipe than the pressure in theradiator or other heating body when the system is in operation. H

The valve device 3 has a valve casing 5 provided with an inlet 6 and anoutlet 7.

Thethoroughfare of the valve casing has a. seat .8 for a valve 9. Theseat 8 has a beveled edge, and the face ofthe valve is correspondinglybeveled so as to form a conical passage when the valve is lifted fromthe seat. The valve is provided with a piston 10 which divides the valveeasing into compartments or chambers- The lower side of thepiston'communicates with the system on the inlet side of the valve 9,and the upper side of the piston communicates with the system on theoutlet side of the valve 9, this valve being actuated by the piston. Thevalve 9 is earned on a hollow stem 11 which is provided with a duct. orpassa e opening at one end on theoutlet side of t e valve 9 and at itsotherend into the compartment or fluid pressure chamber above thepiston. This duct, as shown,.includes a removable nipple 12 having anarrow or capillary passa e. The .duct or passage in the stem 11 is enarged below the niriple 12 so as to aid the jet or ejector effect 0 theair-or water escaping through the discharge port as hereinafterexplained. The piston is capable of moving bodily in the valve casing inwhich it closely fits.

' 13 is an air duct connecting both sides of the pressure motor. Thisduct, it will be seen, is formed in the side of the valve casing. Itslower end is above the level to which the water of condensation rises inthe normal operation of the device. In Fig. 2 the duct 13 opens into thecompartment above the piston through an inner circumferential channel 14cut in the valve casing.

In Fig. 2 the piston is provided with "wings 15 on its upper sidedesigned to secure the accurate movement of the piston without binding.It will be seen that the channel 14 prevents the duct 13 from beingclosed by one of the wings 15 in case the piston turns so as to bringone of the wings 15 opposite the opening of the duct 13.

16 is a valve for regulating the mouth of the duct 13. By means of thisvalve the size of the upper opening of the duct 13 can'be properlyadjusted wlth reference to the size of the passage in the nipple 12.

- 17 is a screw cap forming the top of the valve casin 5 and by means ofwhich ready access to thefinterior of the valve casing is afforded, asmay be required from time The operation of the device is as follows. Thevalve 16 is adjusted so as to make the upper opening of the air duct 13of proper size relatively to the opening through the nipple 12. l havefound in practice that the best results will ordinarily be securedbymaking the upper opening of the duct 13 from four tosix times as largein crosssectional area as the opening in the nipple 12. The system beingput intooperation, the exhauster exhausts air from the outlet 7, andthereby reduces the pressure at that point. This produces a flow of airfrom the lluid pressure chamber above the piston 10 through the nipple12 and the hollow stem 11, and thereby reduces the pressure in the fluidpressure chamber. This causes a flow of air from the chamber below thepiston through the duct 13 into the upper chamber, but this flow is notsufiicient to prevent the decrease of pressure in the upper chamber, andas a result of the differential pressures in the two chambers, thepiston. 10 rises, lifting the valve 9. Air is then drawn out from thelower chamber through the conical opening between the valve 9 and thevalve seat 8. This air, escaping through the discharge port, operates asa jet and tends to maintain, if not to increase, the flow of air throughthe nipple 12 and the hollow stem 11, as a result of which the pressuresin the two chambers are prevented from equalizing, and the valve 9 isheld away from its seat and in a balanced position, although air only isescaping from the valve. I have found by actual test that the effect ofthe jet of air escaping between the valve 9 and the seat 8, is such thatthe pressure in the wider part of the hollow stem 11 immediately belowthe nipple 12, is less than the pressure in the outlet 7 If there is aninrush of air into the lower chamber from any cause, the effect is toincrease the pressure in that chamber, and to correspondingly lift thepiston 10 and the valve 9. As the valve is opened wider a larger volumeof air escapes through the discharge port, and this reduces the pressurein the lower chamber to the normal point, which causes the piston .10 tofall until it reaches its normal or balanced position, thereby shuttingofi' to that extent the discharge port. When the water of condensationenters the lower chamber, it surrounds the valve 9 and begins to flowthrough the discharge port. This water, passing between t-he valve 9 andthe seat 8, forms a water jet which acts in the same manner as the airjet but with even greater force, drawing air through the hollow stem 11and the nipple 12, and maintaining a less pressure in the upper chamberthan in the lower chamber. As water will not flow as readily through anopening of a given size as air does, the discharge from the lowerchamber through the discharge port is decreased in volume, as a resultof which the what and thereby to open wider the discharge port. Thisincreases the outflow from the lower chamber through the dis-' chargeport until the pressure in the lower chamber again becomes normal, whenthe piston 10 and the valve 9 fall to their normal or balanced position.I have found by actual test that in the normal operation of this devicethe valve never closes, but that the piston and the valve are heldduring most of the time in a. balanced position, being raised or loweredaccording to the increase or decrease of the pressure in the lowerchamber, as already explained.

In Fig. 4 the piston which carries the stem 11 and valve 9 is madesomewhat different from that shown in Fig. 2; In Fig. 4 the pistonconsists of a lower disk 19 and an upper ring 20 connected by ribs 21.The peripheries of the disk 19 and ring 20 constitute the bearingsurface of the piston and insure the accurate movement of the pistonwithout. binding. ribs 21 are set in from the bearing surface of thepiston so that in this case the turning of the piston in the valvecasing would not close the mouth of the duct 13. Hence, thecircumferential channel 14 may be omitted, if desired, when the pistonshown in Fig. 4 is used.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In an automatic valve device for heating systems, the combination ofa valve casing having a thoroughfare, a valve controlling saidthoroughfare, a piston to actuate said valve having one side incommunication with the system on the inlet side of said valve, a hollowstem connectin the piston and the valve, the passage in said stemconnecting the chamber on the outer side of said piston with the systemon the outlet side of the valve, an air duct formed in the valve casingand connecting the chambers on opposite sides of said piston, the sizeof said duct being so proportioned with reference to the size of thepassage in the stem as to maintain the valve normally in an openbalanced position.

2. In an automatic valve device for heating systems, the combination ofa valve casing having a thoroughfare, a valve controlling saidthoroughfare, a piston to actuate said valve having one side incommunication with the system on the inlet side of said valve, a hollowstem connecting the piston and the valve, the passage in said stemconnecting the chamber on the outer side of said piston with the systemon the outlet side of the valve, the upper end of said passage beingcapillary in character and the lower end thereof being enlarged, an airduct formed in the valve casing and connecting the cham- It will be seenthat the bers on opposite sides of said piston, the size of said duetbeing so proportioned with reference to the size of the passage in thestem-as to maintain the valve normally in an open balanced position.

3.1a an automatic 'valvc device for heating systems, the combination ofa valve casing having a thoroughfare, a conical valve seat, a conicalvalve controlling said thoroughfare, a piston to actuate said valvehaving one side in communiezu'ion with the s stem on the inlet side. ofsaid valve, a 1101 ow stem connecting the piston and the valve, thepassage in said stem connecting the chamber on the outer side of saidpiston with the system on the outlet side of the valve, the upper end ofsaid passage being capillary in character and the lower end thereofbeing enlarged, an air duct formed in the valve casing and connectingthe chambers on opposite sides of said piston, the size of said ductbeing so proportioned with reference to the size of the passage in thestem as to maintain the 'alve normally in an open balanced position.

-l. In an automatic valve device for heating systems, the combination'of a valve casing having a tbormighfare, a valve controlling saidthoroughfare, a. piston to actuate said valve. having one side incommunication with the system on the inlet side of said valve, a hollowstem connecting the piston and the valve, the passage in said stemconnecting the chamber on the outer side of said piston with the systemon the outlet side of the valve, an air duct formed in the valve casingand connecting the chambers on opposite sides of said piston, the lowerend of the duct being above the level to which the water ofcondensatioi'i rises in the normal operation of the device, and the sizeof said duct being so proportioned with reference to the size of thepassage in the stem as to maintain the valve normally in an open teal--anced position.

5. In an automatic valve device for heating systems, the combination ofa valve casing having a thoroughfare, a valve controlling saidthoroughfare, a piston to actuate said valve having one side incommunication with the system on the inlet side of said valve, a hollowstem connecting the piston and the valve, the passage in said stemconnecting the chamber on the outer side of said piston with the systemon the outlet side of the valve, an air duct formed in the valve casingand connecting the chambers on opposite sides of said piston, and meansin said duct for so regulating the size of its opening with reference tothe size of the passage in the stem as to maintain the valve normally inan open balanced position.

6. In an automatic valve device for heating systems, the combination ofa valve casing'having a thoroughfare, a valve controlling saidthoroughfare, a piston 10 having one side in communication with thesystem on the inlet side of said valve, a hollow stem ll connecting thepiston and the valve, provided with a capillary passage at its upperendwith an enlarged passage at its lower end, the air duct 13 formed in thevalve casing connecting the chambers on opposite sides of said pistonand opening at its lower end above the level to which the water ofcondensation rises in thenormaloperation of the device, the valve 16 forregulating the size of the opening in the duct 13 with reference tothe'size of the. passage in the stem 11 so as to maintain the valvenormally in an open balanced position.

7. In an automatic valve device, the combination of a valve casinghaving a thoroughfare, a conical valve controlling said thoroughfare, apiston to actuate, said valve having one side in communication with thesystem on the inlet side of said valve, a hollow stem connecting thepiston and the valve, the passage in said stem connecting the chamber onthe outer side of said piston with the system on the outlet side of thevalve, an air duct formed in the valve casing and connecting thechambers on opposite sides of said piston, the size of said duct beingso proportioned with reference to the size of the passage in the stem asto maintain the valve normally in an open balanced position.

8. In a heating system, the combination. of a supply pipe, a radiator, adischarge pipe, an exhauster connected with the discharge pipe and anautomatic valve on the discharge pipe consisting of a valve casinghaving a thoroughfare, a. valve cont-rolling said thoroughfare, a pistonto actuate said valve having one side in communication withthe system onthe inlet side of said valve, a hollow stem connecting thepiston and thevalve, the passage in' said stem connecting the chamber on the outerside of said piston with the system on the outlet side of the valve, anair duct formed in the valve casing and connecting the chambers onopposite sides of said piston, the size of said duct being soproportioned with reference to the size of the passage in the stem as tomaintain the valve normally in an open'balanced position.

9. In a heating system, the combination of a supply pipe, a radiator, adischarge pipe, an exhauster connected with discharge plpe and anautomatic valve on the discharge pipe consisting of a valve casinghaving a thoroughfare, a valve controlling said thoroughfare, a pistonto actuatesaid valve having one side in communication with the system onthe inlet side of said valve, a hollow stem connecting the piston andthe valve, the passage in said stem connecting the chamber on the outerside of said iston with the system on the outlet side 0 the valve, theupper end of said passage being capillary in character and the lower endthereof bein enlarged, an air duct .formed in the va ve casing andconnecting the chambers on opposite sides of'said piston, the size ofsaid duct being so roportioned with reference to the size of t e.passage in the stem as to maintain the valve normally in an openbalanced position. y

10. In a heating system, the combination oi a supply pipe, a radiator, adisehar e pipe, an cxhaustcr connected with the'dlscharge pipe and anautomatic valve on the discharge pipe consisting of a valve casinghaving a thoroughfare, aconical valve con trolling said thoroughfare, apiston to actuate said valve having one side in communication with thesystem on the inlet side of said valve, a hollow stem connecting thepiston and the valve, the passage in said stem connecting the chamber onthe outer side of said piston with the system on the outlet side of thevalve, an air duct formed in the valve casing and connecting thechambers on opposite sides of said piston, the size of sand duct beingso proportioned with reference to the size of the passage in the'stem asto maintain the valve normally in an open balanced position. a

11. In a heating system, the combination oughfare, a vhaving one s1 of asupply pipe, a radiator, a discharge pipe, an exhauster connected withthe discharge pipe and an automatic valve on the discharge pipeconsisting of a valve casing having a thoroughfare, a valve controllingsaid thoriston to actuate said valve e in communication with the systemon the Inlet side of said valve, 2, hollow stem connecting the pistonand the valve, the assage in said stem connecting the chain )cr on theouter side of said piston with the system on the outlet side of thevalve, an

air duct formed in the valve casing and connecting the chambers onopposite sides of said piston, the lower end of the duct being above thelevel to which the water of condensation rises in the normal operationof the device, and the size of said duct being so proportioned'withreference-to the size of the passage in the stem as to maintain thevalve normally in an open balanced position.

In testimony whereof, I, name to this specification, two subscribingwitnesses.

ALBERT A. CRYER.

in the presence of WVitnesses:

NICHOLAS M. GoonLE'rT, J r., FRANCIS J. MCBARRON.

have signed my

